Probers may look into bank accounts of Lao, Pharmally execs — Drilon

MANILA, Philippines — Senate probers may look into bank accounts of some personalities being investigated in connection to the alleged overpriced medical supplies procured last year.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon raised this possibility as the Senate blue ribbon committee investigating the controversy resumes its hearing this Monday.

Drilon reiterated that ongoing investigation showed Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. was favored by the government when it awarded P8.6 billion worth of contracts to the company with only a paid-up capital of P625,000.

“Maliwanag na binigyan ng advantage ang Pharmally dito sa usaping ito,” the senator said over Teleradyo.

(It was clear that Pharmally was given advantage in this issue.)

And while there is no evidence yet that someone pocketed money from the deals, Drilon insisted there was clearly a violation of the anti-graft law.

“Ngunit magtatanong tayo at nakikita ang paglabag sa anti -graft law at baka naman masilip natin yung bank accounts ng Pharmally at ni USec Lao at noong si Linconn Ong kung papayag po sila,” the senator went on.

(But we will inquire and we have found violation of the anti-graft law, and maybe we can look into the bank accounts of Pharmally, Usec. Lao, and Linconn Ong if they will allow.)

Drilon was referring to former Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, who headed the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management when Pharmally bagged the contracts. Ong, meanwhile, is one of the directors of company.

Ong and former presidential economic adviser Michael Yang, a known close friend of President Rodrigo Duterte, have been ordered arrested for being evasive during last Friday’s hearing of the blue ribbon panel.

According to Pharmally president Huang Tzu Yen, Yang offered to lend them money to finance the government’s order.

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